Land title deeds for farmers: Can Thailand escape the poverty trap?

[webfact]

 

A government initiative to convert agricultural land reform certificates into title deeds has sparked both hope and concern for millions of Thailand’s poorest people.

 

For farmers, the initiative offers the opportunity to use their land plots for more than just agricultural activities. With title deeds, they can also use their land as collateral to obtain loans when necessary, protecting them from loan sharks whose high-interest rates can trap them and their families in debt and poverty for generations.

 

However, there are concerns that this initiative, if not carefully implemented, could result in land reserved for agricultural land reform being handed to investors. Such a scenario would only exacerbate the crisis of landless farmers in Thailand.

 

Will investors be the true beneficiaries?

 

Prayong Doklamyai, an advisor to the People’s Movement for a Just Society (P-Move), highlights the risk of investors acquiring these land plots through nominees.

 

Under the law, only farmers can claim plots allocated by the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO). Over the past few decades, farmers have received Sor Por Kor 4-01 certificates to prove their rights to agricultural land reform plots. Before January 15, these certificates were not transferable, meaning the land could not be sold.

 

“However, the new rule allows for the certificates to be sold. This could lead to investors attempting to make profits on these land plots,” Prayong said.

 

He warned that without strict rules and scrutiny, investors could exploit loopholes to scoop up land plots reserved for poor farmers.

 

“Investors acquiring such land will result in more landless farmers, who will be in turn be forced to encroach on state land to earn a living.”

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-02

 

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[BenStark]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

investors could exploit loopholes to scoop up land plots reserved for poor farmers.

 

Only when you create laws full of loopholes

[bamnutsak]

Which document(s) is conveyed from the government/RTA (in most cases mentioned so far) to the recipient in this new scheme?

 

Is it still a Sor Por Kor 4-01

 

It can't be a Chanote right?

 

 

 

Sor Por Kor 4-01 deeds to be changed into normal title deeds as a New Year’s gift

 

The Sor Por Kor 4-01 documents held by farmers will be turned into land title deeds as a New Year’s gift for farmers, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow said.

Speaking at Government House on Monday, he said the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO)'s secretary-general has been appointed to discuss the legal process of the change with relevant agencies.

Thamanat said the change will be discussed by relevant officials to see when it can be granted. He added that there will also be an approval of details related to land possession.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/policies/40031749

 

 

 

Whenever I see Capt. Thamanat associated with some new government policy I am immediately suspicious.

 

 

[Foxx]

This doesn't address the fundamental issue that a large proportion of Thai farmers is tenant farmers, paying typically half their income to some rich landlord.

What is needed is fundamental land reform with redistribution from the (often obscenely) wealthy landowners to the actual farmers.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

However, there are concerns that this initiative, if not carefully implemented, could result in land reserved for agricultural land reform being handed to investors. Such a scenario would only exacerbate the crisis of landless farmers in Thailand.

Land title deeds if handed to farmers should have a caveat that the title deed, the land cannot be sold, cannot be leased and the property cannot ever be built on.

Agricultural use only.

[koolbreez]

Because of what happened last time this was done, the last government put the stipulation that the certificates of use could not be sold or transferred, preventing any foreclosure on the land for planting and growing loan default. Being poor they have very limited loan services available, and it takes money to raise a crop. A few major land owning corporations set up loan programs, then after a few years, when they defaulted on the loans, they foreclosed, and sharcropped the land back to them so they could continue to farm, but with a big slice taken out as the fees. This new titling of the agro land, with the right to transfer title is another setup to gain more government land by a few individual corporations, the same way they did it before. The poor farmers will be much worse off.

[Purdey]

Allowing farmers to sell their land is the kind of law only a real estate developer would want. 

Once the money has been used on booze, bikes and pickups they'll be in exactly the same position. 

[Sydebolle]

Keep 'em poor and scared - how to run a country 2.1, explained 😉